BajanSleeve

We have to be able to live life realistically, right? Its not every day that you are going to be able to bring your packed lunch. I don't think that half a veggie burger was a difficult splurge. Good on you! I have been a food addict for 20 years. I worry that if I went to a fast food place that I would not be able to control myself from going back again and again. Like putting a crack addict in a crack house.

We should keep in touch churchgirl as we are both close surgery dates, diabetics and trying to figure this thing out. I just made a post earlier today asking advice on how diabetics are coping with adjusting insulin. I have not taken long acting, only rapid acting because I am scared what long acting might do. But my numbers have been going up since I am in the phase 2 part of the diet

Churchgirl, I would honestly resist eating those more rich foods until at least 10 days. Your sleeve needs to heal and to SEAL. Digesting those more solid foods I would imagine puts more stress on the digestion process in your small stomach than it should while its trying to seal. Try making home made soups, blending the heck out of them and then staining them (take out the meat). The flavor is very savory if you put nice seasoning in them. After 10 days you can have all the stuff you are eating now. Stay away from full dairy until after 10 days I am 12 days post op and only now regaining energy since I can have more substantive things to eat. But I am also a diabetic so perhaps I would get tired more easily anyway. If you can go back to work after 10 days when you are eating more substantive foods maybe you would consider that so your energy would be more up

I am 11 days post op from a sleeve. Don't break the liquid diet guys. Your sleeve needs to heal and seal. I started pureed soup which was home made that I strained twice at 7 days post op. That really helped satiate me because I was hungry from 3 days post op! Home made soup - with spinach, sweet potato, boiled skinless chicken in it and took it out after and carrots and garlic and onion. Pureed the heck out of it, strained it twice and it felt very nourishing. Technically not really supposed to have until after 10 days but it was very thin but FULL of savory flavour, which I craved. Hang in there and have lots of popsicles and jello and try the home made soup and strain it.

I just had Gastric Sleeve surgery 10 days ago at Mexicali Bariatric Centre (MBC) at the Hospital Almater in Mexico. Dr. Rodolfo Wilhelmy and Dr. Edgar Campos were the main surgeons. I can't sing their praises enough! Their team has dedicated pre-surgery contacts who answer every single question imaginable and walk you through what you need to get to Mexicali every step of the way. They pick you up either from the San Diego airport or a near by hotel and take you to the hospital in Mexicali which is about a 2 hour drive plus border crossing time which is longer leaving Mexicali. You are also taken back to the San Diego airport after your surgery (all included in your package) The Almater Hospital is on par or even better than some hospitals in the West. Its modern, has a lovely atmosphere about it, the nursing staff is very professional, very kind and sweet. There is an English speaking liaison assigned to the Hospital who takes you through each process. Some of the nurses speak a bit of English but I had no issues because I used an English/Spanish translation ap. All of their equipment is top line, modern, extremely clean and I thought it was decorated very nicely (lovely art pieces ). The doctors were attentive, engaging and they checked on you regularly and they spoke English. You get a private room with ensuite bathroom which is very nice. There is a 3 seater couch and lounge chair in your room which your travel companion can sleep on and stay in your room. You also have the option of renting a near by hotel room for your travel companion which mine did and she took a taxi to see me daily. If you stay at the hospital, bring bedding for the sofa (blanket, sheet). I brought my own blanket for a mattress pad and my own blanket as well as a body pillow. To me, comfort is necessary when in pain. I would recommend you bring a clip on light to clip to the side of your bed as well as a small extension cord so that you do not have to get up and down to switch on lights when you are in pain, especially for when your travel companion is asleep. I never had any doubts about MBC whatsoever. They have great reviews and I felt safe and comfortable in the hospital and I had confidence in their skills and facilities. Their cost was SO MUCH cheaper than the USA and Canada, even including all the airfares I had to pay. To me, it was worth the effort to get all the way to Mexico from Barbados. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a shout.

I just had my surgery 9 days ago. These were my essentials that I was SO glad I had with me right after surgery: Biotine dry mouth gel! You can't do surgery without this one. Your mouth is SO DRY its unbelievable. This really helped and you can get a small tube. Chapstick - for the dry lips 2 days after surgery. GasX strips. Used them day 2 and 3 and helped alleviate the gas pain. The nurses did not like that I used them and wanted me to get gas up only by walking but I was not about to be a gas martyr. An electric heating pad for the pain 1-3 days post surgery. Boy am I glad I brought one. It was particularly helpful 24 hours after surgery. That heat gave me a lot of comfort from the pain. Elastic Abdominal Binder / Postpartum & Post Operative Belly Wrap - Beige, 3X-Large, - This was so helpful when I had to take 3 plane rides back home. Any kind of motion, even in the wheel chair, really hurts. The binder makes you feel held together and minimizes pain when moving around right after surgery Nuun Active Hydrating Drink Tablets, Juice Box Mix, 4 count - Since you are not drinking your quota right after surgery, these are good to put in your water and also supports your blood pressure MQ® Motion Sickness Patch - I had the doctor put one on me immediately after surgery and I wore it for 4 days after. I had NO issues with nausea I am one of those people that must have a comfy bed in order for me to sleep. I brought a cushy blanket as a mattress pad as well as my Sherpa blanket to cover with. I also brought a body pillow. it seems like much but when you are in pain and trying to sleep, for me these were essential One thing I wish I had but did not was a plug in night light. The hospital I was at in Mexico only had lights via the switch at the door. When you are in pain post op its ridiculous to have to get up and down and up and down to turn on a light. I would have loved a small plug in lamp, the kind that you can clip on, that I could have turned on and off without having to twist my body to reach the switch or get up off the bed

You have to learn to like some greens One power green is spinach and Kale. You can put them in eggs, cook in some brown rice and my favourite is blend them in some veggie soup. Another trick is to buy some powdered Spirulina (has lot of great elements including iron) and mix it into food or drink, a smoothie is best. Also buy powdered moringa. Add those 2 supplements and those are good green ones.

A few people who have replied echo reasons that were also in my decision process. 1) less invasive than re-routing intestines 2) cost was a big factor 3) the statistics showed pretty much similar weight loss achievement 4) I am a diabetic and that was one of the main reasons I did WLS and both procedures showed reversal of type II Diabetes . I have always understood from the start that any kind of WLS was an intervention and a re-set. Just to give me the time I need to change bad habits, retrain my system to be satisfied with less food and then once the bulk weight is gone enable me to start exercise again. None of these are quick fixes without the discipline following so that you wont regain. I recommend that we all get counselling to understand the root reasons why we use food as an emotional crutch. I am hoping that loosing so much weight will give me the incentive to work hard to keep it off since I will finally be able to do things of life like normal people do and no more diabetes! My mother died at 65 of obesity illness and my grandmother at 53 of the same thing. We have to take responsibility for our own future. Thank God for WLS!

Had a successful gastric sleeve surgery in Mexico 8 days ago. Have had low blood pressure readings for the last 3 days. Between 100/60 to 86/45. I am not on blood pressure meds. I am still in the 10 day post op clear liquid period and to be honest I had to drink some Glucerna to help me survive!!! I also made some watery blended and double strained soup, real soup, not broth. I just could not handle plain broth with zero sustenance. I am a type 2 Diabetic but my blood sugar has been relatively low, and to be honest, I am afraid to take insulin when I am barely eating next to no calories. Does anyone else suffer with very low blood pressure after surgery and if so, what did you do? Did anyone else have anything to eat other than the clear liquid without complications? I figure I might as well be honest.

Thanks for the advice. The hospital emailed me today and said to take electrolytes to improve BP. I bought a few tubes so will start on one today . Day 10 is tomorrow so looking forward to some watered down yogurt with protein!

That is a concern. Thanks for bringing it up. I remember the doctors were extremely concerned about my oxygen saturation 2 days post op and especially the day after. I had to be on the mask for 36 hours which drove me nuts. I wonder if I have to get that checked with my GP......Thanks for the suggestion

I have them too. I buy the powdered stool softener so you can mix it in your drink. Fortunately I've been ok with number 2 going into 8 days post op but still have great pain from pre-existing haemorrhoids. Try the powdered laxative

You are small enough I believe to not have major loose skin. I would recommend you buy some Bio Oil and start using that right away. It helps minimize stretch marks and keeps the skin in great condition while you go through weight loss. Its what pregnant moms use on their belly as well as bariatric clients. Use it on your stomach, your outer thighs and inner thighs and under arm flap

I am following your thread because I am 8 days post op and STARVING! I was starting to feel something was wrong with me. I feel that feeling that you feel when you have not eaten all day long. I was like seriously? So what's up with everyone saying you don't feel hunger? I was not prepared for feeling hungry and its really throwing me off. I wrote my clinic and they are telling me that it happens and is part of the journey to adjusting to totally different eating habits. Sigh...….. So I guess we just buckle up with this ride until our bodies adjust to eating much less?

Get the unflavoured protein powder and put it in your regular drinks and soups, you can put it in anything you eat, yogurt, tea, whatever. Has NO taste but the protein is there. Have you tried that?

I had my surgery 8 days ago. The first 48 hours were very painful. There is no way around that. Prepare yourself for that. However, my experience was that the pain really lifted by the 3rd day. I refused pain meds after day 3 as I was really ok. I was really surprised about that since the day of surgery and after was so painful. I don't think I experienced real pain after 48 hours - just soreness and discomfort from the gas they pump your stomach with in order to see in between the organs. You will notice some pain across your shoulders and a very distended belly. That is from the surgery gas and you will have soreness from the stretching of your tummy and across your chest. I brought natural nausea patches which they put on me right after surgery that worked like a dream. I also brought gasX strips with me and used one the day after surgery but yes, walk walk walk is what works to get that gas up. Hang in there - you only JUST had your surgery. It wont stay this painful my dear.